Chelsea: What exactly do the Blues have left to play for this season?

Chelsea will play at least 11 matches and could play up to 15 the rest of the season. But how important are these upcoming matches for the Blues?

First off, Chelsea has nine matches left in the Premier League. As of now, they are currently fourth. The Blues are only six points behind Leicester City, but only two points ahead of Manchester United and Wolverhampton. The importance of these upcoming matches in the league is important, but not as important as it would be for clubs like Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Ideally, the Blues will look to stay in fourth place and qualify for the Champions League once again. The Blues’ remaining matches in the Premier League are difficult. The most difficult matches are against Liverpool, Manchester City, Sheffield United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The match against Manchester City is on matchday 31, so the Blues will look to avoid dropping points. Dropping too many points could result in Manchester United overtaking Chelsea for fourth.

Luckily, the Blues’ most difficult matches are at the end of the season. Their matches against Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are difficult ones, but that could change if the race for European football is over. Chelsea’s match against Liverpool is on matchday 37 and surely the Reds would have won the league by then. Since they are very likely to be champions, their match against the Blues would feature many of their younger players. If the Blues have not qualified for the Champions League yet, the match could be an easy victory for Frank Lampard and his men.

Chelsea also has five Premier League matches against clubs that are much lower in the table. Some are mid table and others are fighting to escape relegation. Four of the five matches could be easy wins for the Blues. Their only potential match which could give them a hard time is against Crystal Palace. Although it is unlikely, they have the best chances to win out of Chelsea’s five matches against lower table clubs.

Next, Chelsea has the FA Cup to play for. The Blues are currently in the quarterfinals and will have to play Leicester City on 28 June. They are quite evenly matched with Leicester as both matches this season have been drawn. A win would put Chelsea into the semifinals where, based on the chances, the Blues could potentially face Manchester City, Manchester United, or Sheffield United.

Although Frank Lampard will be looking to win his first trophy at Chelsea, there are more important matches that should be prioritized. From how qualification for European football works, fifth through seventh in the league would hope the Blues bring back the trophy. If Chelsea or another top four team wins the FA Cup, then the sixth placed team will also qualify for Europa League. If a non top four team wins the FA Cup, they will qualify for Europa League regardless of standing in the league. Ultimately, the FA Cup could matter more to other teams rather than Chelsea themselves.

Finally, Chelsea’s Champions League campaign could come to an end in one match. Winning the Champions League is the goal for every team involved in the competition. Unfortunately for the Blues, they dug themselves into a 3-0 hole right before the stoppage of football.

Chelsea must win their second leg match in the round of 16 against Bayern Munich in order to progress. The only problem is the Blues must win by a margin of three goals in order to take the match into extra time. Their chances of that happening will be affected by the ruling on if Chelsea’s new signings can play.

Current RB Leipzig striker, Timo Werner, announced he will not play for RB Leipzig in the Champions League quarterfinals. The German wants to make his move to west London as soon as possible. The Blues’ other new signing, Hakim Ziyech, will also play in the Champions League for Chelsea, but not until next season. Although chances of surviving in the Champions League are faint this year, the addition of two new signings might as well be what Chelsea needs to make a deep run next season.

The Blues still have quite a lot to play for this season. The Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Champions League are the only competitions where Chelsea has not yet been eliminated. The Blues will be looking to give their best in every match going forward, no matter if the match is important or not.